Folding door



P 1960 2 J. c. YOUNG rrm. 2,952,312

FOLDING DOOR Filed Jan. 31, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 i 25d 14 I 23- WU I 22 dob/7 C. V0 any Marv/0 J. K0009 .2- -"1 INVENTORS pl: BY

ATTO/Y/VEKS Sept. 13, 1960 J. c. YOUNG ETAL 2,952,312

FOLDING DOOR Filed Jan. 31, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,-46 BY A ggpr ATTORNEY} Sept. 13, 1960 J. c. YOUNG 'ETAL 2,952,312

7 FOLDING DOOR Filed Jan. 31. 1958 I s Sheets-Sheet 3 dob/7 C. Young- MCY/V/f? J. you/757 INYENTORS United States Patent Q" FOLDING DOOR John C. Young, Houston, Tex., and Marvin S. Young,

Tampa, Fla., assignors to Venetian Folding Door Corporatlon, Tampa, Fla., a corporation of Florida Filed Jan. 31, 1958, Ser. No. 712,551

12 Claims. (Cl. 160-159) This invention relates generally to folding closures and, more particularly, to improvements in that type of closure in which a plurality of separate panels are linked to gether at their opposite ends to form lazy tongs for movement between an extended position in which the panels are disposed in edge overlapping relation across an area to be closed and a retracted position in which they are stacked face-to-face adjacent one end of such area.

Closures of this type are useful not only as doors, but also as Window blinds, partitions, awnings and the like. The principal problem attendant to such closures, as distinguished from the type in which the panels are hinged together at their edges, is in synchronizing movement of the lazy tongs formed by the links and opposite ends of the panels as they are extended and retracted.

For this purpose, it has been conventional to guidably support the lazy tongs at the opposite ends of the panels Within longitudinally extending traverse members. However, as pointed out in our earlier copending application, Serial No. 593,509, filed June 25, 1956, and entitled, Panel Assembly, such traverse members are particularly objectionable along the lower sides of horizontally extendible doorways. While traverse members may be desirable along the upper sides of such doorways to support the weight of the outer panels, they are objectionable in the case of other closures, such as awnings, wherein they would be unsightly and diflicult to mount.

In accordance with one embodiment of our earlier invention, we proposed to synchronize the movement of the crossed panels and links of the lazy tongs by means of additional linkage connecting them to brackets adapted to be fixed at one end and at opposite sides of the area to be closed. More particularly, such linkage was connected to only the innermost links and opposite ends of the innermost panel, so that the brackets and linkage were concealed when the panels were stacked.

Although closures having such linkage may be useful as awnings and the like, they are not satisfactory as doors since they fail to provide the necessary support for the outer panels. Furthermore, the particular linkage disclosed in connection with our earlier invention requires the use of half panels.

An object of this invention is to provide a folding closure having similar synchronizing linkage and being particularly well-suited for use as a door.

Another object is to provide a folding closure having synchronizing linkage and brackets which are also adapted to be concealed by the stacked panels, but which enable 'the use of panels of equal width.

A further object is to provide a folding closure having a synchronizing linkage of simplified construction for accomplishing one or both of the foregoing objects.

A still further object is to provide a folding door having synchronizing linkage of the general character above described which is particularly well-suited for use with Patented Sept. 13, 1960 a traverse member for guidably supporting the lazy tongs along the upper end of the door.

Yet a further object is to provide a folding closure of the general character above described which is particularly well adapted for latching to the end of the area to be closed toward which the panels and links are extended.

Still a further object is to provide a folding door of the character defined in the foregoing object which is especially well-suited for use with a traverse member from which the outer panels are supported.

A still further object is to provide a panel for this general type of folding closure which renders it more attractive and, more particularly, which enables the panels to be arranged substantially coplanar on opposite sides of the extended closure.

Still another object is to provide panels for a folding closure of this type which may be used to provide either a tight or a ventilated closure.

A still further object is to provide panels in accordance with either of the foregoing objects which are of light weight and economical construction.

As in the case of the prior closures above described, the folding closure of the present invention comprises a plurality of separate substantially rigid panels and a plurality of links connecting the opposite ends of the panels to one another to form lazy tongs for movement between an extended position in which the panels are disposed in edge overlapping relation across an area to be closed and a retracted position in which they are stacked in face-to-face relation adjacent one end of said area. Also, brackets are adapted to be fixed at said one end and the opposite sides of the area to be closed, and linkage connects the opposite ends of the innermost of said panels and the innermost links to the brackets for synchronous angular and linear movement in fixed paths during extension and retraction. However, in accordance with one novel aspect of this invention, the closure is made suitable for use as a door or the like by the provision of means disposable along only one side of the area to be closed for guidably supporting an outer portion of the adjacent lazy tongs for movement in its fixed path. More particularly, this supporting means comprises a traverse member adapted to be secured along said one side of the area to be closed and having a longitudinal slot therein, and a part on the connection of an adjacent end of an outer panel and an adjacent outer link guidably movable within said slot.

In accordance with another novel aspect of' the present invention, the aforementioned linkage includes arms connected at one end to the brackets for pivoting about an axis on one side of the fixed path of the connection of innermost panel and innermost link and pivotally connected toward their opposite ends to one of said innermost links and opposite ends of said innermost panel. More particularly, each of the brackets is provided with a longitudinal slot therein, and said linkage comprises parts on the connection of the opposite ends of the innermost panel and the innermost links received within the slots to guide the opposite ends of said innermost panel. Also, in the preferred form of the closure, the first-mew tioned arms are extended beyond their connections with one of said innermostlinks and opposite ends of the innermost panel, and the linkage also includes second arms pivotally connected at one end to the other of said innermost links and opposite ends of said innermost panel and at the other end to the extension of said first-mentioned arms. a 1

When a closure having the above-described synchronizing linkage is employed as a door, and thus includes a traverse member secura ble along only one side of the area to be closed, the aforementioned slot within the bracket on said one side is provided by a continuation of the slot in the traverse member so that both the parts on the connection of the innermost as well as the outer panels and links are guidably movable within the same slot.

In accordance with a further novel aspect of the invention, latching of the free end of the door is facilitated, a pilot panel is pivotally connected to the outermost panel and provided with parts on one end thereof received within a slot in a traverse member securable along an adjacent side of the area to be closed for guidably supporting the adjacent end of the pilot panel for movement in a straight path. More particularly, when such closure is employed as a door, this same traverse member guidably supports the outer portion of the adjacent lazy tongs.

The novel panel of the present invention comprises a Web having a longitudinally extending enlarged portion intermediate its side edges, and a base member at opposite ends of the web having substantially parallel sides spaced apart a distance appoximately equal to the thickness of said enlarged portion of the web. Grooves are formed in the base members diagonally of the corners thereof to receive the opposite end edges of said web with the enlarged portion on each web face substantially flush with the adjacent side of the base member. More particularly, the opposite faces of the web are tapered from the enlarged portion to the side edges thereof, and such tapered portions of the web faces are disposed substantially flush with adjacent sides of the base members.

Thus, with the panels assembled in one relation with respect to the links, the overlapping side edges of adjacent panels will be disposed in substantial engagement with one another to form a tight closure. On the other hand, when the mounting of alternate panels with respect to the links is reversed, the overlapping side edges will be spaced from one another to provide a ventilated closure.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters are used throughout to designate like parts:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a folding door constructed in accordance with the present invention, and with the panels and links extended across a doorway;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the door of Fig. l, as seen along broken line 22 thereof;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but with the panels and links retracted into stacked face-to-face relation adjacent one end of the doorway;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged elevational view of the lower lefthand corner of the door of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the synchronizing linkage for the door of Figs. 1 to 4, as seen along broken line 55 of Fig. 4, and with connected panels shown in broken lines;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view, taken substantially along broken line 6-6 of Fig. 1, of the traverse member and part on an outer portion of the upper lazy tongs which is guidably supported thereby;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5 of an alternate form of synchronizing linkage;

Fig. 8 is a top plan view, similar to Fig. 3, of a door having a pilot panel for movement during extension and retraction of the door without turning;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged elevational view, broken away in part, of the means for guidably supporting the upper end of the pilot panel of the door of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a detailed cross-sectional view, upon a still further enlarged scale, of the supporting means of Fig. 9, as seen along broken line 10-10 thereof; and

Fig. 11 is an exploded view of a typical panel for use in the doors of Figs. 1 to 10.

Turning now to a detailed description of the abovedescribed drawings, the folding door 20 of Figs. 1 to 6 is mounted within a doorway having an upper side 21, a

lower side 22, and opposite ends 23 and 24. This door is connected to the left-hand end 23 of the doorway for movement between a position closing the doorway, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and a position opening same, as shown in Fig. 3. More particularly, the door comprises a plurality of separate substantially rigid panels 25a, 25b, 25c and 250! having their opposite ends connected to one another by means of a plurality of corresponding upper and lower links 26a, 26b, 26c and 26d for extension into edge overlapping relation across the doorway in the closed position thereof and retraction into stacked face-to-face relation adjacent the end 23 of the doorway in the open position thereof.

The opposite ends of each of the panels are provided with pins 27 along an intermediate portion thereof for connection with one link and at one or both ends thereof for connection with a link connected to the intermediate portion of an adjacent panel. Thus, as will be understood without further description, the upper and lower ends of the panels and the links pivotally connected thereto form upper and lower lazy tongs for extension and retraction as above described. As can be seen from Fig. 2, when the panels are extended into edge overlapping relation, the pivot pins 27 connected to opposite edges of the panels are laterally offset from the pins connected to the intermediate portions thereof, so as to prevent binding of the door.

The novel linkage for synchronizing movement of the crossed panels and links of the upper and lower lazy tongs comprises a bracket 28 connected to the end 23 of the doorway at the top side 21 thereof and a bracket 29 connected to the same end of the doorway at the lower side 22 thereof. As best shown in Fig. 5, identical arms 30 are pivotally connected by pins 31 to each of the brackets 28 and 29 at locations equally offset to one side of the path of pins 27 connected to intermediate portions of the ends of the panels during extension and retraction thereof. The arms 3% are also pivotally connected by pins 32 along an intermediate portion thereof to the inner edges of the innermost links 26a and by pins 33 at the outermost ends thereof to second arms 34 pivotally connected by pins 35 to opposite ends of the innermost panel 25a. Thus, the innermost portions of the arms 30 between the pins 31 and 32 insure t.e synchronous linear movement of the crossed panels and links of the upper and lower lazy tongs toward and away from the one end 23 of the doorway. It will also be understood that the portion of the linkage made up of the outermost end of arms 30 between pins 32 and 33 and the second arms 34 insure the synchronous angular movement of the upper and lower lazy tongs.

A traverse member 36 is secured along the top side 21 of the doorway for extension substantially the en tire length thereof and is provided with a longitudinal slot 37 therein (see Fig. 6). The lower bracket 29 is also provided with a slot 38 which, although considerably shorter than the slot 37, is aligned therewith. a part in the form of a roller is provided on the pin 27 connecting the upper end of innermost panel 25a and the upper link 26a for guided movement Within the slot 37, and a similar part in the form of a roller 39 (see Fig. 4) is provided on the pin 27 connecting the lower end of the innermost panel to the lower link 26a for guided movement within the slot 38 of the lower bracket 29. Thus, it will be understood that these slots fix the path of the upper and lower lazy tongs during extension and retraction.

Despite the above-described linkage for synchronizing movement of the upper and lower tongs, it will be appreciated that there may be some lateral swinging of the outermost end of the door when extended, particularly when the door is of considerable length. It will also be understood, especially in the case of vertically hung doors such as door 20, that the outermost end of the extended door requires some additional support from the doorway. For each of these purposes, and as shownin Fig. 6, a part in the form of a roller 40 is provided on the pins 27 connecting the upper end of the outermost panel 250! and upper link 26d for guided movement within the slot 37. Obviously, such a roller may also be provided on one or more of the other intermediate pins, although the one shown is preferred.

With particular reference to Fig. 3, it will be seen that this folding door is made up of identical panels, does not require a traverse member along the lower side 22 of the doorway, and conceals the brackets and arms making up the synchronizing linkage in its retracted position.

In the alternate form of synchronizing linkage shown in Fig. 7, the arms 30 are merely turned over or reversed for pivotal connection by pins 31 to the brackets 28 and 29 at locations oifset the same distance as in Fig. 5 to the other side of the fixed path of pins 27 connecting intermediate portions of the opposite ends of the panels to the links. The outer end of the arms 30 are connected by the pins 33 to second arms 34 pivotally connected by pins 35 to the upper and lower innermost link 26a. The arms 30 are also connected by pins 32 along intermediate portions thereof to the opposite ends of the innermost panel 25a. In order to permit the same brackets to be used to mount door panels in either left or right overlapping position and with either form of linkage, each bracket is provided with bosses 41 for mounting the pins 31 at equal distances on opposite sides of the aforementioned fixed path of the intermediate pins 27.

The folding door 41 of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 8 to is shown mounted within a doorway having a lower side 22 and an end 23 to which the door is connected, as in the case of door 20 above described. The door 41 also comprisesa plu rality of panels having their opposite ends connected by links for extension and retraction in the same manner as door 20. However, in the door 41, the outermost panel 42 is only substantially half the width of the other panels, and a pilot panel 43 is pivotally connected thereto for movement without turning during extension and retraction of the remaining panels of the door. Thus, this latter door is particularly well-suited for latching to an adjacent end of the doorway or a door extendible from an opposite direction.

More particularly, in the door 41 as it is shown in Figs. 9 and 10, parts in the form of rollers 44 are rotatably mounted upon a U-shaped carriage 45 secured as by rivets 45a or the like to the upper outer end of the pilot panel 43. These rollers are movable over flanges 46 formed along the lower edges of a traverse member 47 secured to the upper side of the doorway. They are also closely adjacent the upper web 46a of the traverse member 47. Since the carriage 45 is rigidly secured to the pilot panel 43 and is so long that it extends back over the half panel 42, it serves to keep the pilot panel very close to a position at right angels to the traverse member 47. Thus, cocking of the leading or free edge of the door is prevented, a thing very desirable for wide openings. Also, the carriage is closely received between a longitudinally extending slot formed between the flanges 46 to guide the pilot panel in a straight path.

Similarly to the traverse member 36 of the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 6, the traverse member 47 may also be provided with a longitudinal slot therein (not shown) to receive a part on the pin connecting the upper end of the innermost panel 25a with the upper link 26a for guided movement therein. However, the pin 27 connecting the upper end of the outermost half-panel 42 and V the upper outermost link 26d is extended upwardly through the web of carriage 45, as shown in Fig. .9, to pivotally connect the pilot panel to the outer half panel 42. More particularly, the upper end of this pin is 6 provided with a part 48 in the form of a roller so that the outermost panel and outermost links are supported by the traverse member. Furthermore, the opening between flanges 46 is aligned With the fixed path of the pins 27 pivotally connecting the panel 42 and links 26d so that the outermost end and outermost links are guided in said path by longitudinal movement of the carriage 45.

For illustrative purposes, the panel shown in Fig. 11 is the panel 25c in Fig. 1. It comprises a web 49 made up of a pair of thin facing members 50 of plywood or like material joined at their opposite side edges and spaced apart intermediate such edges by a tubular separator 52 to form a longitudinally extending enlarged portion. The sides of the base members 53 secured to opposite ends of the web 54 are spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the enlarged portion 51 of the web. Grooves 56 are formed diagonally of the corners of the base members to receive the opposite end edges of the web with the enlarged portion 51 on each web face substantially flush with the adjacent side of the base member. More particularly, the opposite faces of the web are tapered from the enlarged portion to the side edges thereof and the grooves 56 are so arranged as to dispose such tapered portions substantially flush with adjacent sides of the base members, as will be apparent from Fig. 11.

It will be understood, particularly from Fig. 2, that when the panels and links are extended, the side edges of the base members 53 of each panel will overlap and abut with side edges of adjacent panels. More particularly, the tapered portion on each web face of each panel which is flush with its side of the base members of such panel will be disposed closely adjacent a tapered portion on an opposite face of an adjacent panel so as to form a tight closure between the panels. On the other hand, reversal of the mounting of alternate panels will space such tapered portions of adjacent panels from one another to provide a louvered structure.

As also shown in Fig. 11, a metal plate 57 is secured as by screws 58 to the top and bottom of the base members 53 to provide bearings for the pins 27. As will be understood, links, such as links 260, may be connected to the opposite ends of the panels by means of such pins.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth, together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the apparatus.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without referenceto other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

The invention having been described, what is claimed 1s:

1. A folding closure, comprising a plurality of separate substantially rigid panels, a plurality of links connecting the opposite ends of the panels to one another to form lazy tongs for movement between an extended position in which the panels are disposed in edge overlapping relation across an area to be closed and a retracted position in which the panels are stacked in face-to-face relation adjacent one end of the area, brackets adapted to be fixed at said one end and at opposite sides of the area to be closed, said lazy tongs also including linkage pivotally connecting the opposite ends of the innermost of said panels and the innermost links to said brackets for synchronous angular and linear movement in fixed paths during extension and retraction, and means disposable along only one side of the area to be closed for guidably supporting an outer portion of an adjacent lazy tongs for movement in said fixed paths.

2. A folding closure of the character defined in claim 1, wherein said supporting means comprises a traverse member adapted to be fixed along said one side of the area to be closed and having a slot extending longitudinally thereof, and a part on the connection of an adjacent end of an outer panel and an adjacent outer link guidably movable within said slot.

3. A folding closure of the character defined in claim 2, wherein said bracket on said other side of the area to be closed is also provided with a slot, and said linkage comprises parts on the connection of the opposite ends of the innermost panel and innermost links received within the traverse member slot and bracket slot, respectively, to guide the ends of said innermost panel and innermost links for movement in said fixed paths.

4. A folding closure of the character defined in claim 3, wherein said linkage also includes a pair of arms pivotally connected at one end to said bracket and one of said innermost links and opposite ends of said innermost panels, respectively, and at their other ends to one another, the arms pivotally connected to said bracket also being pivotally connected intermediate their ends to the other of said innermost links and opposite ends of said innermost panels.

5. A folding closure, comprising a plurality of separate substantially rigid panels, a plurality of links connecting the opposite ends of the panels to one another to form lazy tongs for movement between an extended position in which they are disposed in edge overlapping relation across an area to be closed and a retracted position in which they are stacked in face-to-face relation adjacent one end of the area, support means securable to said one end and at opposite sides of the area to be closed, said lazy tongs also including linkage pivotally connecting the opposite ends of the innermost of said panels and innermost links to said support means for synchronous angular and linear movement in fixed paths during extension and retraction, said linkage including arms connected at one end to said support means for pivoting about axes on one side of the fixed path of the connection of said innermost panel and innermost links and pivotally connected toward their other ends to one of said innermost links and opposite ends of said innermost panel.

6. A folding closure of the character defined in claim 5, wherein each of the support means is provided with a longitudinal slot therein, and said linkage comprises parts on the connection of the opposite ends of the innermost panel and the innermost links received within the slots to guide the opposite ends of said innermost panel.

7. A folding closure of the character defined in claim 5, wherein said first-mentioned arms are extended beyond their connections with one of said innermost links and opposite ends of said innermost panel, and said linkage also includes second arms pivotally connected at one end to the other of said innermost links and opposite ends of said innermost panel and at the other end to the extension of said first-mentioned arms.

8. A folding closure of the character defined in claim 7, wherein said first-mentioned arms are connected toward their other ends to the innermost links.

9. A fol-ding closure of the character defined in claim 7, wherein said first-mentioned arms are connected toward their other ends to the opposite ends of the innermost panel.

10. A folding closure, comprising a plurality of separate panels, a plurality of links connecting the opposite ends of the panels to one another to form lazy tongs for movement between an extended position in which the panels are disposed in edge-overlapping relation across an area to be closed and a retracted position in which the panels are stacked in face-to-face relation, bracket means adapted to be secured along opposite sides of the area, means pivotally mounting said lazy tongs at one end to the bracket means, a guideway in the bracket means, said lazy tongs also including synchronizing means comprising links pivotally connected to one another and to the panel and link nearest the pivoted mounting means, and a stud on the lazy tongs for movement within the guideway closer to the pivotal mounting means than the inner section of the next adjacent crossed panel and link.

11. A folding closure of the character defined in claim 10, wherein the bracket means on each side of the area to be closed has a guideway therein, and said synchronizing means includes studs on the lazy tong for movement within each guideway.

12. A folding closure of the character defined in claim 11, including means disposable along only one side of the area to be closed for guidably supporting an outer portion of an adjacent lazy tongs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,351,229 Bombelli Aug. 31, 1920 1,364,457 Simon Jan. 4, 1921 2,169,873 Clark Aug. 15, 1939 2,170,938 Carreras et al W Aug. 29, 1939 2,321,507 Oberdorfer et al June 8, 1943 2,577,884 Garubo Dec. 11, 1951 2,649,150 Hoke et al Aug. 18, 1953 2,748,048 Russell May 29, 1956 2,754,902 Attkisson July 17, 1956 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTION Patent N-o,.- 2,952,312 September 13 1960 John C. Young et a1.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

In the drawings, Sheets 1, 2 and 3, line 2, and in the heading to the printed specification, line 2, title of invention, for "FOLDING DOORH each occurrence read FOLDING CLOSURE column 8, line 30, for "inner section" read intersection".

Signed and sealed this 9th day of May 1961.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W SWIDER DAVID L... LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

